Wooden Heart
by coexist love
Summary: On their new home, Bill remembers Laura.


Title: Wooden Heart

Author: coexist_love

Rating: PG

Characters: Laura Roslin, Bill Adama

Pairings: Adama/Roslin

Summary: On their new home Bill remembers Laura.

Warnings: Character Death

Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own Battlestar Galactica. It is the property of Ron Moore, but this little scenario here is all mine.

Bill smiled sadly at the young woman in the market as he she placed the fruit he had selected on the scale. Everyday he still saw her, ever since they had settled on this planet, whether it was in the market, near the school, or lying next to him in their bed, in the cabin that he had built for her. He could have sworn she was standing a few feet away from him, eating a peach, her red hair glowing in the sun. Graciously he paid the woman and turning to leave.

"Is something wrong Admiral?"

"I haven't been the Admiral in years Hera," Bill commented. "You're too young to remember, but it's just this day."

"I understand Admiral. Enjoy." Hera smiled at him, knowing very well what he was talking about.

"Thank you, Hera," Bill stated as he began his trek back to their cabin in the woods she joined him.

"Hera's grown up to be a beautiful young woman," she stated, still nibbling at her peach.

"She has, Laura," Bill replied. "She really has."

"Karl and Sharon must be so proud."

"Come on, lets get home," he stated to his red-haired companion. "The sun's gonna set soon."

"Bill, why do you keep bringing me back?" she asked him, stopping him in his tracks. "I've been gone for years now and you know all the Cylons, its not like I'll be coming back to you in a brand new body."

"I know," he whispered to himself. "I miss you."

"We had good times," she stated as they walked over to little wooden bridge that passed over the river to their cabin.

"That we did. Given the circumstances."

They continued up the hill to the cabin. The cabin she had always wanted but never got to see. He never told her that he'd planned to build it, he figured that she would protest, tell him to enjoy his retirement. As he reached the door he opened it, and waited a moment letting her go first. Stepping into the cabin she took off her cardigan, unlike New Caprica this planet actually had seasons and she was able to leave her home without having to put a giant sweater on. Bill placed their findings from the market on the wooden table while she took a seat on the couch.

"What would you like for dinner?"

"I'm not that hungry," she stated studying the contents of their coffee table.

"When are you ever?" Bill muttered.

She picked up the book that he had been reading that morning. A copy Edward Prima's Dark Day, the same copy that he had lent her when she'd asked for a book to read on Galactica. "Don't you ever get tired of this?" she asked, referring to the book.

"No, it reminds me of you."

"Someone else in the fleet must have another book you can read?"

"No, I like this one. I am content to read it for the rest of my days."

She sat there for a while, pensive as she thumbed through the book. "Do you ever miss it Bill?"

"Miss what?"

"The fleet? Being in command."

"No." he answered softly. "Not if you're not there."

"I never understood why you built this cabin so far away from the settlement."

"It was your dream wasn't it? You wanted to build a cabin by the stream where the water was so clear it was like looking through glass."

"It was my dream, I didn't think it was yours," Laura said.

"After New Caprica, I was never going to let you out of my sight again," Bill stated. "If you wanted a life on solid ground I was going to join you."

"I could have been content living on a ship."

"No you couldn't have. You came to Galactica one day to use the gym." She burst out laughing remembering that day in clear detail. She was surprised she hadn't found the copy of Blood Runs at Midnight lying around. He usually read that around this time of the year as well. "We really should eat."

"Bill," Laura stated, tears coming to her eyes. "Bill you know I don't need to eat."

"I know."

"Bill, you need to accept that I'm gone. I don't want to keep you from living out the rest of your life. It's not good for you to keep seeing me like this."

"Laura."

"I know its hard Bill, but I died years ago on Galactica, with you."

"You took a piece of my heart with you."

"So that's why you keep seeing me. Why we keep having this discussion year after year? It's been over fifteen years Bill. When are you going to start living life again?"

"You know, I used to ask myself that question on my wedding anniversary. I used to think that I wouldn't meet anyone every again, but then I found you. I think two broken hearts is enough for one lifetime, Laura." _Why did you have to die? _He thought to himself._ Why did you have to die?_

"Have a drink," Laura suggested pointing to the bar. She knew he'd stashed a bottle of scotch somewhere.

Slowly Bill got up and opened the key to liquor cabinet. He hadn't touched the bottle of scotch in over six months. He knew his liver wasn't what it used to be and even though Cottle was still around, he didn't want to take his chances with liver failure. Afterall, someone had to remember Laura.

"She put him out like the burning end of a midnight cigarette, she broke his heart, he spent his whole life trying to forget, he tried to drink his pain away a little at a time, but he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind…" he heard Laura singing softly.

"That's not me," Bill defended. "I'm not trying to drink you away."

"I know."

"I went to your grave a few days ago, Lee and Kara used to take care of it, make sure it was well trimmed, had flowers on it, but it was covered with overgrown grass. I found some wild flowers, transplanted them so that you're grave would be as beautiful as you are…were…" Bill corrected himself sheepishly.

Laura wrapped an arm around his shoulder and rested her head against him. He reached over to his bedside table and picked up an old photograph of them at New Caprica's groundbreaking ceremony. He'd always liked that dress on her and she smiled at the memory of their night together. She chuckled a little before she started talking. "Bill, please, put that photo away. Don't take it out again."

"I won't need to," Bill stated.

***

The next morning Lee arrived at the cabin to check on his father. He'd been a mess since Laura died. He knew how much he loved her and how much it had hurt when the cancer finally won and she passed in her sleep one night years ago. He felt guilty for not going to her grave more, after all the things she'd done for him, but Laura was gone. His father on the other hand seemed to live only to honor her.

Using his key, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. "Dad?" he called, passing the fresh fruit on the table. It was clear his dad had left the cabin, but he wondered where he was now. "Dad?" he called walking back towards there bedroom.

His father was still in his bed. _He must have dreamed of her_, Lee thought as he took a few steps towards his father's sleeping form. "Dad, wake up!" he stated, shaking him. "Dad! Dad!"

He quickly put his fingers to his neck to look for a pulse but didn't find one. Gasping he stood up and noticing that his father had fallen asleep clutching a photo of him and Laura in his hands.

***

He wanted to be buried with Laura, that they all knew. The Old Man's last wishes were finalized in a will that was handled by Romo Lampkin about a year after Laura's death. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and even eternity. She had made him believe in the Gods, the Pythian prophecy. The chance of finding a home for the survivors of humanity.

When they had found their new home the buried her under a tree with branches hanging towards the ground. They'd carved the headstone in a large rock and had placed it there a week after her burial. For years, Bill would sit by her grave, half drunk talking to her headstone as if it would talk back.

It seemed fitting that a second headstone would join the first, both bearing different names and dates of birth but both having the same date of death, almost fifteen years apart.

***

Bill hadn't been sailing in years but he stood out on the deck of the little boat as it approached the shore. There was a bunch of fog, not like he could see anything, then suddenly as the clouds started to part he saw her standing there. She was wearing one of her suits and her heels, her red hair was back, she looked healthy.

"Laura?" he whispered, not believing his eyes.

She nodded as he suddenly found himself on the shore. He pulled her into his arms and buried her face in her red mane. "I'm never letting go," he whispered to her.

She looked up at him and smiled.

***

END


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